Decatur Independent School District (Isd)

The Decatur Independent School District (Isd) serves approximately 3,500 students across six schools—four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school—in the North Texas area, offering a range of academic programs from Pre-K through 12th grade.

Within the district, Young Elementary stands out as the top performer, consistently earning 4-star ratings and ranking in the top 28% of Texas elementary schools despite serving a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students. In contrast, Carson Elementary struggles significantly, with test scores well below district and state averages, including only 17.71% proficiency in 5th-grade Science. Stem Academy At Enis Elementary also performs well with 4-star ratings, but its lower poverty rate (20%) likely contributes to its success. At the middle school level, McCarroll Middle excels in advanced math, with over 94% of 8th graders proficient in Algebra I—nearly double the district average. However, this creates a disconnect at Decatur High School, where only 22.22% of students are proficient in Algebra I, despite strong graduation rates (94.4%) and high performance in Biology and English.

A key takeaway is that socioeconomic status does not determine success, as Young Elementary outperforms Carson Elementary despite similar poverty levels, suggesting differences in instructional quality or school culture. Additionally, 5th-grade Science is a district-wide weakness, with all elementary schools scoring below the state average. For parents, this means Young Elementary offers the strongest elementary option, while McCarroll Middle provides exceptional math preparation, though families should be aware of the high school's math challenges.